Disneyland

[LuvDisney3]

I am thinking of taking a trip to Disneyland. We have never been there and wanted to get tips on where to stay and how long will be needed to visit the parks....

 

[xipetotec]

I am thinking of taking a trip to Disneyland. We have never been there and wanted to get tips on where to stay and how long will be needed to visit the parks....

Coincidentally enough, we're just about to take our first trip down to Cali.

For us, it isn't a "trip to Disneyland" per se. My son wanted to see Hollywood, but *I* would not have a trip to California ( possibly our only trip out there ) without seeing DisneyLand!

So only speaking from booking experience and LOTS of reading. You can spend days there even if there aren't as many "parks" as WDW. There are tons of attractions and shows.

Hotels on site seem great, they are literally next to the parks, which is awesome. BUT unlike WDW, there are TONS of cheap surrounding offiste hotels WITHIN walking distance ( some right accross the street from the main entrance! ). We have DVC, so we lucked out for that and are staying at GCV, but the night before, to save points, we're just staying at the ramada accross the street.

we're only staying two days, and I can tell you I already know it's not "enough" ... but it's what we have time for.

 

[drag n' fly]

There was a good thread started on this not too long ago hth

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2630066

 

[mbb]

Interesting fact....

DL's footprint would fit into the WDW MK parking lot!!

We've never been either, but are planning for next April 2012.
It's a tradiition in our family that 8th birthdays are celebrated at Disney, and our niece -who lives in Vancouver- wants to go to DL.

I'm working on convincing her that she *really* wants to go on the Disney Dream cruise...hah!! She's as stubborn as I am

So we've been looking at houses to rent in the general Anaheim area...that way, we can base ourselves for a week or so, do DL, Knotts, Lego, and the Hollywood thing...we think!

It's not as easy to find a 6 bedroom house, pool/spa, pet friendly in OC for rent as it is on Florida, that's for sure.

Let us know how you're planning goes!!

 

[TLPL]

I am thinking of taking a trip to Disneyland. We have never been there and wanted to get tips on where to stay and how long will be needed to visit the parks....

If you have never been to Disneyland Reosrt, I would spend at least 3 days for the parks. Although Disneyland is smaller than Magic Kingdom, they package in more attractions in the park.
If you planning to go this summer, the new Mermaid ride and Star Tour 2 should be opened by then. The Mermaid ride in MK won't be open until next year (or is it the year after?).
Enjoy your trip!

 

[DTFVolunteer]

Disclaimer: I have never been to WDW, so I am a little biased on this...

Disneyland is very special IMHO because this is the first and the original. Walt Disney actually walked in the park and had an apartment on the grounds, so to me, a trip to Disneyland is like making a pilgrimmage to pay my respects to the man behind the magic.

I have been to Disneyland three times since October 2009 (my first trip) and I LOVE it (mind you that two of the trips were one day affairs). When I took my hubby in Feb 2010 (his first trip) we spent three days between DLR and DCA, and I still have a list of about 15 attractions that I haven't set foot on.

Disneyland is surrounded by hotels (some great, some not so great) but they instantly melt away when you pass through the tunnels to Main Street.

Disneyland is my home away from home.

A

 

[xipetotec]

Disclaimer: I have never been to WDW, so I am a little biased on this...

Disneyland is very special IMHO because this is the first and the original. Walt Disney actually walked in the park and had an apartment on the grounds, so to me, a trip to Disneyland is like making a pilgrimmage to pay my respects to the man behind the magic.

I have been to Disneyland three times since October 2009 (my first trip) and I LOVE it (mind you that two of the trips were one day affairs). When I took my hubby in Feb 2010 (his first trip) we spent three days between DLR and DCA, and I still have a list of about 15 attractions that I haven't set foot on.

Disneyland is surrounded by hotels (some great, some not so great) but they instantly melt away when you pass through the tunnels to Main Street.

Disneyland is my home away from home.

A

While I do argue that I believe had Walt lived to see WDW open, he would have frequented this park as well. He was building it because he had wanted to make something bigger and better.

BUT I completely agree with you, this park was the first, this park was his baby and most of all, this park saw Walt in it on a regular basis. I have not yet been as an adult, and even as a child, I was only 3. I will be there in two weeks and CANNOT WAIT....

P.S. That being said, my home away from home is the Beach Club Villas at the WDW Boardwalk

 

[squirrel]

It depends on when you are going.

I went for 5 days in 2007 with my niece who was almost 4 yrs old. We really only had about 4 days in the parks with the flight times. We stayed across the street at Best Western Park Place Inn. We didn't see everything as she wanted to do some things over and over. We saw Merlin many times, but she never got picked.

We went after Labour Day, thinking it would be quiet like WDW. It was much busier. We did the race for Nemo (similar to the one for TSM at WDW).

 

[c&m]

I am thinking of taking a trip to Disneyland. We have never been there and wanted to get tips on where to stay and how long will be needed to visit the parks....

WHERE TO STAY:
DL is a place where you don't really have to stay at a DL resort hotel. Not like WDW where there are so many benefits to being "onsite". Many people love the HOJO Anaheim, which is across the street from the park (about an 8 min walk) and offers an Entertainment rate and a Disboard promotion code. There are many choices though. Lots of motels, budget hotels, and chain hotels. It depends on your budget and your taste.

Take a look at getawaytoday.com. They offer hotel only or hotel/ticket packages at great prices. I just booked a 4-night stay thru them at the Sheraton Garden Grove for $360 (includes free parking, free shuttle, kids eat free in the hotel only package). They offer so many hotel choices so take a look at all of them.

Things you need to figure out are:
1. Do you want a hotel that's walking distance? (Important for you to pick a hotel within a certain radius of the parks - Tropicana Inn, HOJO, Marriott Fairfield, Disney's Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel, GCH, Candy Cane Inn, Sheraton Park, etc.)

2. Will you be renting a car? (Important for you to find a hotel with complimentary parking - HOJO, Holiday Inn, Residence Inn Maingate, Ayres, a hotel thru getawaytoday.com that offers free parking in the hotel package)

3. Shuttle? (Important to find a hotel with a shuttle or on the ART route - Candy Cane Inn, Sheraton Garden Grove have their own shuttles; getawaytoday.com offers free shuttle service at the Sheraton thru hotel package)

4. Complimentary breakfast? (Pick a hotel with this freebie like the Residence Inn Maingate, Embassy Suites South, Residence Inn Garden Grove, Hampton Inn, or a hotel on getawaytoday.com that includes the breakfast like the Red Lion)

Hope that helps!

 

[LuvDisney3]

Wanted to say thank you to all that have replied to my post!!! I really appreciate all of the advice.